so i'm one of those weird paranoid people who thinks that everything bad will most likely happen to them lol..

Having said that, my guy and I came close to having sex once, but my body wasn't physically ready (i was really tight) now i feel i'm finally up to par, except i'm SO NERVOUS that the condom will break or something. Now the guy that i plan on having sex with is not a virgin, so he knows what he's doing..i'm just worried that something could go wrong. I plan on going on birth control so i can have both sets of protection, but for right now we'd just be using a condom. Can anyone give me any advice on how to deal with this problem?

Re: What are the chances of getting pregnant when using just a condom?

There is always a chance of pg, when having sex, even with condoms, but condoms does lower your chances. My dd was 10 weeks old, had sex one time with condom, I was nursing(not a form of bcontrol), and I only have one tube due to a previous tubual pg and STILL got pg. I was sore from delivery so we had sex only one time, before I found out I was pg again. That was a surprise. I suggest start the pill now(if thats what your planning) and still use condom w/ spermaside for a couple months, to get full protection from the pill. It will lower your chances, but ,nothing but absinence is 100 percent safe from pg.

Re: What are the chances of getting pregnant when using just a condom?

It is VERY important to put the condom on properly. Some people don't pinch out the air at the tip or don't even leave space at the tip, and this can cause it to tear easily. Also make sure the expiration date on the condom is still good... and don't leave them in heated areas like in the car. I've even heard not to keep it in your wallet. I usually hear that condoms are 95-98% accurate when used properly, so that's pretty good... but using the pill as well will definitely lower your risk of pregnancy. Of course, just be sure to be STD free and in a monogamous relationship if you wish to ONLY use the pill. If you take your pill perfectly, it is over 99% accurate, however some people forget to take it on time, thus lowering its accuracy. The withdrawal method is NOT a good method of birth control alone, but when used in addition to other methods, it can be good. For now, if you are very worried about pregnancy, just wait until you are on the pill. It definitely made me not worry as much! And yes, of course NOTHING is perfect out there and there is always a risk... I know virgins who got pregnant because they had semen outside of their body and a tiny bit must have gotten inside!

Re: What are the chances of getting pregnant when using just a condom?

Its not impossible for a condom to break, but you can make sure that you're doing all you can to prevent it.

start with buying a reliable brand. (trojan is my brand choice)
Check expiration date! (don't use a condom that's been in a wallet for years, or looks like it's been through hell and back!)
Make sure he's wearing one that fits; too tight + friction = possible break; too big = possible slipping off!
and make sure that he leaves enough room at the tip for his ejaculate.

Going on BC as well is not a bad idea, but condoms are 99.9% effective if used properly. BC is also 99.9% effective if used correctly. Relax, breath.. have fun, be smart and safe!

Re: What are the chances of getting pregnant when using just a condom?

Quote:

Originally Posted by jen52983

Its not impossible for a condom to break, but you can make sure that you're doing all you can to prevent it.

start with buying a reliable brand. (trojan is my brand choice)
Check expiration date! (don't use a condom that's been in a wallet for years, or looks like it's been through hell and back!)
Make sure he's wearing one that fits; too tight + friction = possible break; too big = possible slipping off!
and make sure that he leaves enough room at the tip for his ejaculate.

Going on BC as well is not a bad idea, but condoms are 99.9% effective if used properly. BC is also 99.9% effective if used correctly. Relax, breath.. have fun, be smart and safe!

you make several good points, however, I must correct you on something. Both condoms and the pill, independantly, do NOT have a 99.9% effective rate. The pill is slightly less than that statistic ( and that is if you use it by the book, not the general effective rate which is a bit lower than that even), and condoms are nowhere near 99.9% effective. I believe they are somewhere in the low 80% range.

you are smart to wait it out until you are ready, and using both forms of protection is even better. I just had to point this out because I didn't want you having incorrect information. It is much more likely to get pregnant using condoms than by taking the pill even though the effective rate is high. I am currently using both forms, and while it probably isn't completely neccessary It makes me sleep better at night, lol.

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Last edited by Mod-S4; 12-18-2007 at 09:07 PM.
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